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The Obelisk Questionnaire: Leila Abdul-Rauf of Vastum, Cardinal Wyrm, Ionophore, and More

Posted in Questionnaire on April 5th, 2022 by JJ Koczan

LEILA ABDUL RAUF (photo by Dawn Howard)

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Leila Abdul-Rauf of Vastum, Cardinal Wyrm, Ionophore, and More

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I try not to define it too much. I attempt to recreate the sounds I either dream about or imagining in my head that satisfy my perpetual urge to craft something that is exquisitely beautiful while at the same time, incredibly disturbing. The path to my ever-evolving creative process came with a lot of struggle, an unfortunate amount of strife and gaslighting from others, painful self-discovery and the courage to never neglect my inner voice.

Describe your first musical memory.

It was probably the sound of my mother’s singing voice when I was in the womb, because the soothing sound of her voice is and will be forever embedded in my unconscious. And the sound of my father singing the call to prayer at home and in the mosque when I was a kid. And going through my mom’s record collection when I was 5 or 6 years old: Bee Gees, Beatles, Journey, David Bowie, etc.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

There are a lot that I would consider equally best. In my formative teen years, I saw a lot of amazing acts that shaped my musical path: Skinny Puppy, Peter Murphy, Einsturzende Neubauten, Lush, Cocteau Twins, Jesus and Mary Chain in the early ’90s. Seeing Slayer, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide in the late ’90s. Being exposed to fusion jazz in my 20s: Mahavishnu Orchestra/Shakti/John Maclaughlin, Return to Forever/Chick Corea/Al DiMeola, Weather Report, Allan Holdsworth, etc. Or any time I’ve seen Judas Priest, Bauhaus, Secret Chiefs 3, Harold Budd or Kitka live.

As a performer, there are many best memories as well. My trumpet teacher invited me to play an outdoor concert with the New Jersey Bergen Philharmonic when I was 12 years old. Opening for The Great Kat at CBGBs when I was in high school. Performing with Amber Asylum at Wave Gotik Treffen in 2010 and Wroclaw Industrial Fest in 2011; performing solo as main support for William Basinski at Hopscotch Fest; with Vastum at Heavy Montreal fest in 2016 and leveling the main stage at Killtown Death Fest in Copenhagen 2019 were all quite spectacular.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

There has never been a time in my life when they haven’t been tested; the world and commonly held beliefs are constantly changing and in some ways I feel like a lot of the world is finally catching up to where I was mentally 20 years ago; I relate more to the way younger people think and sometimes I feel like I was born a generation too early. It’s ok to talk about so many things now that weren’t acceptable back then. And still, the constant testing of my own beliefs is what leads me to continue to grow psychologically and spiritually.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

I can’t speak for others, but for me, it leads to a deeper understanding of myself and others throughout different phases of life, as well as the universe as we currently understand it; a thinning of the veil between “real” and “imagined,” earth vs. spirit worlds…

How do you define success?

I feel success is always something that should be self-defined yet unfortunately we often let others define it for us, driven by the economic realities of our world. If an idea is rolling around in your head and it becomes a reality, that sounds like success to me. In music, if you finish recording an album that gives you goosebumps when you listen to it, I’d say mission accomplished. And of equal importance is success in relationships: if you have inspiring, healthy and stimulating relationships with collaborators, hold onto them forever; they’re gold. I’m so fortunate to have several of them.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

So many things, but most of all, the effects of out-of-control economic disparity and climate change while civil rights are being perpetually stripped away from marginalized populations by brainwashed politicians.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

Entering the film soundtrack composition world would be a bit of a dream. I’ve also always fantasized about developing visual art skills. Perhaps it will happen someday.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

To reflect life in a way that is bigger than ourselves as individuals and will outlast our short lives. Specifically in music, understanding that humans and all living beings originate from sound vibration energy that is as old as time itself, which in my view, is the reason musicians are driven to compose; we first came from sound, in order for sound to come from us.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Traveling to parts of the world I still have yet to see and visiting with friends again.

https://leilaabdulrauf.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/therealleilaabdulrauf
https://www.facebook.com/leilaabdulrauf
https://www.cycliclaw.com
https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com
http://www.cloisterrecordingsus.bigcartel.com
https://www.facebook.com/cloisterrecordings.us

Leila Abdul-Rauf, Phantasiai (2021)

Vastum, Official Purge (2019)

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Shadow Frost Music & Arts Festival 2020 Updates Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 30th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

shadowfrost 2020 banner

A wintry companion to each autumn’s Shadow Woods fest, the inaugural Shadow Frost Music & Arts Festival is set to take place not in the forest — probably a practical choice, given, you know, winter and all — but at the Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center in Frederick, Maryland, on Feb. 21 and 22. And let’s be honest, that’s not as romantic or as kvlt an idea as having a party out in the woods in the waning days of summer, but from where I sit, it’s also kind of awesome. Think of it this way: Here’s an all-ages festival infiltrating an otherwise normal, unassuming space that, instead of a campground, gives you on-site hotel amenities. Of all the fests you’ve ever been to, how many have listed “free breakfast” and “Saturday morning yoga” — which I’m going to assume will be led by Darsombra, who are also playing, and if that’s not true I don’t want to know — among its resources? Imagine going for a swim before you see some “pizza-themed punk/grind.” This could be your life.

Like Shadow Woods, the lineup for Shadow Frost 2020 carries a rich and admirable sense of curation, loyal to its Chesapeake home, but unafraid as well to branch out in multiple directions, as festival director Mary Spiro continues to proliferate her vision of an underground that transcends genre barriers and unites communities who probably have more in common than they think.

Awesome project, especially for a first run. I hope it goes off without a hitch:

SHADOW FROST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL: Frederick, Maryland’s Exclusive Indoor Winter Gathering Announces Updated Lineup + Merch Presales

SHADOW FROST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, Frederick, Maryland’s exclusive indoor winter gathering, will take place February 21st and 22nd, 2020.

Produced by Shadow Woods Productions, LLC, this inaugural, hotel-based gala will feature Oakland’s crushing Vastum with a special set from their guitarist/ambient industrialist Leila Abdul-Rauf. The lineup rounds out with East Coast cult thrashers Deceased, Vermont’s thunderous Barishi, Boston traditional metallers Magic Circle, and Houston’s Doomstress. Also performing are heavy psych throwbacks Alms and the otherworldly Darsombra (both from Baltimore), Detroit black metalists Fell Ruin, and up-and-coming doom maestros from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Yatra. Tickets and the full daily lineups can be found here at THIS LOCATION.

Exclusive SHADOW FROST merch has also been released for presale until February 1st. Designed by Legerdemain’s Brian Sheehan, Wailing Wizard’s Rebecca Magar, and Art Noir’s Yuriy Seroff, these phenomenal creations all evoke the chilling winter months. Merch can be found HERE.

SHADOW FROST is heavily focused on Maryland-based artists including Alms, Darsombra, Spiral Grave, Radamanthys, and Yatra and is geared toward those who want to step outside their comfort zone and explore. “There is so much great music being created that totally flies under the radar in the music scene, even among people who seem to know a lot about music trends,” said SHADOW FROST producer M A Spiro. “I am not trying to host bands that you can see at a lot of other festivals, but I want to showcase a few of the best that that underground music has to offer. That has been my philosophy with every event I have done, and I don’t plan to change that.”

While previous Shadow Woods fests have been outdoors, the hotel setting provides attendees with unique opportunities to mingle. Hotel amenities include an indoor pool and game room, tavern serving traditional pub fare, and free breakfast every morning. Festivities will occur in the ballroom and pre-function area of the event center, which is attached via an indoor corridor to the hotel. No need to step outside in the cold! SHADOW FROST will also host arts and music vendors, workshops, Saturday morning yoga, table games, and other fun activities. The fest will have the feel of an event such as a horror or comic convention.

Friday – February 21st:
Barishi — Vermont prog-psych rock
Leila Abdul-Rauf — Oakland dark ambient multi-instrumentalist
Doomstress — Texas heavy rock
Alms — Baltimore proto-metal
Fell Ruin — Detroit blackened sludge
Capitalist — New Jersey crust grind
Infinite Pizza — Baltimore pizza-themed punk/grind

Saturday – February 22nd:
Vastum — Oakland death metal
Deceased — East Coast death metal legends
Darsombra — Baltimore trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock
Arsantiqva — New York black metal
Magic Circle — Boston traditional heavy metal
Frost Giant — Philadelphia viking metal
Volur — Toronto ambient doom
Spiral Grave — Maryland/Virginia heavy metal
Witching — Philadelphia blackened sludge
Yatra — Maryland death doom
Mo’ynoq — Raleigh DSBM
Polemicist — Philadelphia blackened death
Radamanthys — Maryland tech death

SHADOW FROST is an all ages event, however, children’s tickets (ages 5-17) will be available at the door with a PAID parent or guardian on-premises. Children under 5 get in for FREE with a paid parent or guardian.

Tickets: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shadow-frost-music-and-arts-festival-tickets-85987128817
** Please note tickets do NOT include hotel reservations. **

Hotel reservations can be made separately at: http://ow.ly/VWzY50xCrMw

http://shadowwoodsproductions.com
http://shadowwoodsproductions.bigcartel.com
http://www.facebook.com/events/319480581997089
http://www.instagram.com/shadow.woods.metal.fest/

Shadow Frost 2020 YouTube Playlist

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Shadowfrost 2020 Announces Primitive Man, Magic Circle, Yatra, Asthma Castle and More for Initial Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 12th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

shadowfrost 2020 banner

Shadowfrost, the wintry incarnation of the Shadow Woods fest, has announced its initial lineup, cutting a cross-section through various sorts of heavy and varying degrees of extremity within that. Sounds neat, you say? It is. Alongside technical death metal and ambient this and that, one finds a good amount of doom and sludge, with Spiral Grave taking part to represent Frederick’s native doom scene and the likes of Asthma Castle and Yatra checking in on behalf of Baltimore. Primitive Man will bring their ultra-violent noise, and Magic Circle head south from Boston to herald a traditionalist approach to heavy metal that, as you can hear on their latest album streaming below, still sounds fresh and deadly in kind.

It’s a good lineup thus far, and they take pains to note that this isn’t everything. With such a swatch and a sense of reach, I’ll be curious to see who else gets added, geographically as well as stylistically, and I shudder to think of the poor cleaning staff at that hotel once this weekend is over.

Feb. 21 and 22 at the Clarion Inn in Frederick, Maryland, is the place to be.

Here’s info from the PR wire:

shadowfrost 2020 initial lineup

SHADOW FROST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL Issues Initial Lineup; Frederick, Maryland Two-Day Winter Gala To Feature The Chasm, Vastum, Primitive Man, Thantifaxath, Magic Circle, And Many More

SHADOW FROST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, Frederick, Maryland’s exclusive indoor winter gathering coming February 21st and 22nd, 2020, is excited to announce a nearly complete lineup for its inaugural event.

Produced by Shadow Woods Productions, LLC (creators of Shadow Woods Metal Fest), this hotel-based gala features two days of metal, rock, industrial, and punk. Headliners include Chicago-based old-school death metallers The Chasm, who will share the stage with Oakland’s crushing Vastum, Denver’s oppressive Primitive Man, Toronto’s enigmatic Thantifaxath, and Boston traditional metallers Magic Circle. Also performing are California’s dark ambient industrialist Leila Abdul-Rauf, heavy psych throwbacks Alms and their stoner brothers from Asthma Castle (both from Baltimore), Detroit black metalists Fell Ruin, and up-and-coming doom maestros from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Yatra.

With two more acts still to be announced, the fest will feature twenty bands in total. The entire curated lineup thus far, in alphabetical order is listed below:

Arsantiqva — New York black metal
Asthma Castle — Baltimore stoner rock
Capitalist — New Jersey crust grind
The Chasm — Mexico City/Chicago death metal
Fell Ruin — Detroit blackened sludge
Frost Giant — Philadelphia Viking metal
Infinite Pizza — Baltimore pizza-themed punk/grind
Leila Abdul-Rauf — Oakland dark ambient multi-instrumentalist
Magic Circle — Boston traditional heavy metal
Mo’ynoq — Raleigh depressive black metal
Primitive Man — Denver blackened doom
Radamanthys — Maryland tech death
Spiral Grave — Maryland/Virginia heavy metal
Thantifaxath –Toronto technical dissonant black metal
Vastum — Oakland death metal
Völur — Toronto ambient doom
Yatra — Maryland Eastern Shore death doom

Additionally, SHADOW FROST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL will offer gaming, workshops, vendors, and of course a pool party at the Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center, located near the interchange of I-270 and I-70 in Frederick, Maryland.

Tickets:
SHADOW FROST is an all ages event, however, tickets for those under 18 may only be purchased at the door with an adult or guardian present who is willing to sign a waiver of liability. Kids under 5 get in free with paid parent or guardian. All other weekend passes, single-day tickets, and tickets for extremely limited VIP packages may be purchased online at: https://shadowfrost2020.bpt.me.

Lodging:
Special rates apply for festival attendees at the hotel. We encourage you to book a room to enjoy the full festival experience. To reserve a room, go to http://ow.ly/kVFL50uMWQp.

http://shadowwoodsproductions.com
http://www.facebook.com/events/319480581997089
http://www.instagram.com/shadow.woods.metal.fest/

Magic Circle, Departed Souls (2019)

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